As Hermione walked into the kitchen the next morning, everyone looked up at her and stopped talking.
"Good morning, everyone."
"Why hello, Hermione," said her mother from the stove. "Darling, sit down, I'm making pancakes."
"Yes, and your grandmother and I brought several different syrups with us. We have blackberry, raspberry, mango, the normal kind, and hemp seed." Said her grandfather, as he used one hand to pull a chair slightly away from the table for her.
"Hippie syrup." Hermione turned to look at her grandmother, surprised by the terse tone. "It came in a pack of five and your grandfather just had to buy it."
"Yes, well, Hermione is leaving soon. Right after breakfast actually." Her father turned to her. "Did you pack your bags?"
"Yes."
"Are they by the door?"
"Yes."
"Good. Good, good, good."
Hermione looked around the table and pretended not to notice the looks all of the grown-ups were giving each other.
Her mother put a plate of pancakes on the table and sat down opposite her daughter. "So, Hermione, sweetheart, how did you sleep? I heard the shower running late."
"Oh sorry, Mum. I didn't think I'd have the time to take one this morning."
"That's alright, dear. Here, take some pancakes."
"I'll pass them out," said her father as he stood up and used tongs to place pancakes on everyone plates.
After twelve minutes of silent eating, Hermione could take no more.
"What's going on?"
"Hermione, now is not the time."
"No, Mother! I will be leaving for the Weasley's in half an hour and you won't see me again until wither the holidays or next summer. I want to know what's going on and I want to know now!"
"Well, I never! Jane, I thought you taught your child better values then this. First last night's revelations and now she's talking back."
"We don't know for sure."
"Oh stop being so silly, Jane. Of course we do. You saw how she reacted! We all did!"
Her mother fidgeted in her seat.
"Hermione."
As her mother said her name everyone turned to look at her. Her grandfather showed no emotion. Her grandmother looked angry. Her father looked sad. And her mother looked apprehensive.
"Hermione?"
"Yes, Mum?"
"Are you…what I mean to say is do you…. Oh dear."
"It's okay, Mum, you can ask me anything."
"Hermione, are you a lesbian?"
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"Are you sure this is her house, Ron?"
"Positive, Harry. We've picked her up from here before you know."
"Alright. But wasn't she supposed to meet us outside?"
"No, she never said that. She just said she's try to be the one to answer the door for us."
"Ginny, wait in the car!"
"Dad said I could come with you. I'm Hermione's friend as well you know."
"Yes but you're also a total pain."
"Wait, did you hear that?"
"Hear what, Harry?"
"No, Ron, I hear it too. It sounds like screaming."
"You don't think?"
Ron gulped. "Well Harry, you never know."
"Should we get our wands out?"
"Yes, Ginny, I think we should. Just stay behind Ron and I and if anything happens run out and get your dad, alright?"
"Alright."
The three stepped up to the door and tried the knob. It was unlocked and they all looked uneasily at each other. Slowly they pushed the door open and fell backward as bags hit them.
XxXxXxXxXx
"I'm not!"
"Yes you are! I've seen the way you look at girls on the beach!"
"Yes, I've looked, but it's hard not to! Do you see how little they wear?"
"Oh God!" Her mother wailed as she sat on a chair in the living room.
As soon as the question had been asked Hermione laughed, which was apparently the wrong thing to do. A fight broke out and moved into the living room, and was progressing to the front door.
"Hermione?" She turned to her father. "We can help you. There are places that we can send you who can fix this. They'll make it better."
"Make what better? Nothing's wrong with me!"
"That's the devil talking," said her grandmother in a wise tone as she nodded her head.
"It's probably that school of hers." Said her grandfather looking at her father. "For all we know she has a woman lover there."
Her mother cried even louder in the chair. Her father went over to comfort her.
"Grandfather, I have no such thing!"
"Look what your sinful ways are doing to this family!"
"But grandmother, I haven't done anything!"
"Wretched child! Now she denies that she's done anything wrong!"
"But I haven't!" Hermione said as the tears made her way down her face. "I haven't done anything wrong!"
"Get out."
Hermione looked at her mother. She was now standing and walking toward her. "I want you out of my house."
"Mum…."
"Don't 'mum' me. I won't stand for this…this…freakish style to be displayed in my household."
"Now, Jane, don't you think you're overreacting a bit?"
"Shove it, George. I put up with her school. I put up with hearing about her new life every time she comes home. I even put up with her little freak friends. But I will not put up with a filthy dyke living under my roof."
"Mum, how can you say that? I love you and would never do anything to hurt you. I'm not a lesbian, but if I were, would it be so wrong?"
Hermione's hand went to her stinging cheek as her wide eyes stared at her mother's hateful face.
"You hit me."
"Get out of my house."
"But Mum…"
"I have no daughter."
Hermione stumbled backward she felt the doorknob on her back and was vaguely aware of it opening as she shoved her bags out the door.
Walking out of it the last things she saw were the hatred in her mother's eyes, and the regret on her father's face.